


bigger and brighter

by feiro



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha Shiro (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time, M/M, Modern Royalty, Omega Keith (Voltron), Sheith Secret Santa 2018, Wedding Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-12 23:51:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17477309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feiro/pseuds/feiro
Summary: Keith is the crown prince of Marmora. Keith is an omega. And ever since he was a kid, Keith has known that sometimes in order to do what’s best for your country, you have to make compromises. That’s just how life is when you’re set to become the king one day.But when the compromise you have to make is something as big as marrying an alpha you’ve never met, it’s probably reasonable to try and put your foot down.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SpaceBabyKeith](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceBabyKeith/gifts).



> I'm embarrassingly late, but I had lots of fun participating in the 2018 [Sheith Secret Santa](https://sheithsecretsanta.tumblr.com/)! I hope everyone's 2019 has been kind so far.
> 
> My giftee [SpaceBabyKeith](http://spacebabykeith.tumblr.com/) had written out this really neat idea for a modern royalty AU with omegaverse and an arranged marriage and I was so IN. That's also kind of the reason this ended up so long, I was just way too into it. I hope this makes up for me being late and you enjoy it!
> 
> Huge thanks to my dear friend Kiro for beta reading and all the encouragement ♡

Growing up, every movie, book and tv show had told Keith the same thing about marriage and mates: people did it for love. It was a symbol of devotion, a step towards building a new life together as a family. People did it with someone they cared for; someone they wanted to have at their side for the rest of their days. His parents had done that, too – met at a young age, fell in love, and eventually tied the knot in front of their family and friends.

Not to mention tens of thousands of TV viewers. It had been a royal wedding, after all.

Aside from _that_ , Keith’s mom and dad had always been just normal, affectionate mates. Princess Krolia of Marmora had been the sweetheart of the nation from the day she was born – despite being quite the terrifying alpha (or maybe _because_ of that). Ever since she was a child she had been fierce, determined, and strong. The whole nation knew that she would make an exceptional queen one day, and when a beloved crown princess like her wanted to marry a commoner alpha, nobody objected.

The couple had one omega son, who was next in line for the throne. And now here he was, sweating in a dressing room, about to meet his future husband for the first time.

Funny, that. The whole marrying for love thing.

See, Keith was to be married next month, but he did not love his fiancé. He didn’t even know him – only his name and what he looked like. It was all rather unusual these days. Sure, back in the day, almost every member of the royal family had found themselves hitched to a stranger, thanks to arranged marriages. It was just the way things had been done back then. But that practice had fallen out of favour some time over the last century, or, so Keith had thought.

Keith had never really entertained the notion of marriage for himself, although he had always known he’d probably have to one day. He had had some trouble connecting with people his age – having been more focused on shouldering his duties as heir apparent. Since he was to be a leader of his country one day, he wanted to be a good one, to do it right. Besides, other people always seemed to act weird towards him, anyway. He had never made any friends in school.

And now he was forced to marry someone, because of stupid, stupid, ancient laws. Laws dictating that omega heirs could not take the throne without being mated to an alpha. Laws that people – for some reason – still wanted to live by, despite them being centuries old.

If only his father was still alive. Maybe the combined power and influence of his two alpha parents would have been enough to stop this nonsense.

Because Keith had tried. He _knew_ he was perfectly capable of ruling alone, if they only let him. He had appealed to every possible direction, pleading with the council, facing refusal after refusal, getting dismissed because he was merely seen as someone who wanted to secure better rights for himself. And he supposed he did, but it was for the right reasons. He was going to be a good king eventually. He didn’t need an alpha by his side to do that.

But that battle had been lost and Keith had to submit and go along with the plan. The plan to join hands with Prince Takashi of Kerberos – Marmora’s neighboring kingdom. The throne of Kerberos had fallen to Takashi’s older brother, Ryou, and so the dutiful, handsome, eloquent Takashi was considered the _perfect_ choice as the mate of Marmora’s own crown prince. No doubt the council had gone over every single detail of this man’s life in order to determine if he was worthy of being married to their king first. The thought of it alone made Keith sick.

He wondered if Prince Takashi was as opposed to the union as he was. It must have been even more sucky for him, getting dragged away from his home to be some foreign prince’s alpha. At least Keith didn’t have to leave his home behind.

Well, at least they’d be in this mess together. Now Keith just hoped his future mate was as charming as people claimed him to be.

Keith had been all made up for the occasion, dressed in a finely tailored suit befitting a first meeting with his intended. People had been on him from the second he had woken up, making sure he looked the part and that everything about the day would go over smoothly. Keith wished he could have caught a moment with his mother before going out there and receiving their esteemed guests, but all hope of that had been in vain, the queen no doubt subject to as much preparation as Keith was.

There would be a brief ceremony; a traditional gesture to receive royal guests. The prince of Kerberos would enter their hall with his own entourage, bringing gifts from his homeland before being announced to the court and the ruler of Marmora. It would all be very quaint. And that’s when Keith would meet his future mate for the first time.

It was going to be brief, however. No time for conversation, no privacy or time alone – they would move on from the royal hall and have a late luncheon with far too many people seated at the table with them. No reporters or other prying eyes, though, thank goodness. They’d only be allowed in the royal hall for the arrival of the visitors, then escorted out of the palace premises.

Ever since he was a child, Keith had known his title and position warranted some publicity. That didn’t mean he had to like it.

After the luncheon, Prince Takashi and his retinue would be shown to the guest wing and allowed to settle into their quarters and change their attire for the evening. Keith would have to get dressed up again, too – there would be a formal ball tonight. He was to dance with his future mate, probably try desperately to get a few private words in with the man, before they were whisked away again for all kinds of pleasantries.

The rest of the three-day visit would largely follow the same pattern, scarcely allowing Keith to get to actually know his fiancé. It sucked. Then Prince Takashi would be whisked away for a month, and they’d only meet again for the huge spectacle the entirety of Marmora was looking forward to – the crown prince’s wedding. And then they’d be husbands. Mates. After the honeymoon, they were to tour Kerberos and show how happy their prince was at the side of a foreign omega, being used as a pawn for politics.

Hopefully the people of both Kerberos and Marmora would buy it. Their nations hadn’t always been on very friendly terms.

That chasm between their people was what worried Keith the most; what made him bite his lip even as he was sitting at his mother’s side in the royal hall, mere moments away from seeing his intended in the flesh. It hadn’t been terribly long since the war. In some whispers around Marmora, the murder of Keith’s own father was attributed to Kerberosians, but the investigations had never borne fruit. Even so, if this marriage didn’t work out, the fragile relations of Marmora and Kerberos could plummet again, and that wasn’t something they could afford to risk.

Keith steeled himself. The guy was probably a total dick, but he’d put on a happy face for the sake of his country.

When the whirlwind of a ceremony started, there was no more time to picture the worst outcome. The sound of a hundred camera shutters was buried under the mighty celebratory fanfare as the heavy doors to the hall opened. Keith’s neck felt itchy under the collar of his shirt.

The prince’s retinue would have no doubt hidden the man himself from Keith’s view entirely, had the man not been so _tall_. His bodyguards were big, sure, but none of them came even close to Prince Takashi’s beauty. Even from his seat, Keith could see his features were just as handsome as they were in all the pictures he’d seen.

Takashi’s white hair was like a halo under the myriad facets of light, and as the group made their way to the end of the room, towards Keith and his mother, his attention seemed focused on simply admiring the hall’s magnificent decor. Keith couldn’t stop staring at him.

And then, his intended looked at his destination, looked at Keith. And even though Keith had prepared himself for the eye contact, it still took a conscious effort on his part not to gasp.

He was close enough now for Keith to see his eyes properly. They were a unique color; like a storm, but when the sun pouring in from the windows hit his face, they became a warm brown. And Keith was already nervous about the whole deal, because of course he was, but somehow, the moment made his stomach turn even more.

Prince Takashi was wearing a suit as well, perhaps even finer than Keith’s, with white gloves covering his hands. Keith knew about the prince’s prosthetic arm, of course. He knew about the terrible accident young Takashi had been in, just like he suspected his fiancé knew about Keith’s own trauma of watching his father get assassinated. He figured those were both topics they wouldn’t be discussing any time soon. If ever.

But seeing the gloves made Keith’s chest tight. Takashi was hiding his hands. He was worried about Keith’s reaction.

Keith swallowed down the hurt and schooled his expression into something neutral. His mother’s advisors always told him to smile more. Screw them.

Their guests were announced and Keith knew he would do well to pay attention to the names of Prince Takashi’s advisors and close circle, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the smile his fiancé was giving him. It was gentle, maybe a little cautious – certainly not the cocky smirk Keith would’ve expected from a royal alpha.

He had imagined all kinds of scenarios; a foreign alpha prince, marching into the palace with a confident and self-important air around him, arrived to claim his bitch. Maybe it hadn’t been entirely conscious, but he had been preparing himself for that. Not… this. Not a genuine smile and soft eyes glimmering at him. Especially since the tall and built prince was physically such a picture of the ideal alpha.

Keith could feel his mother’s curious gaze burning the side of his face, and realized he was smiling, too.

 

\---

 

As the day filtered on with its carefully contrived agenda, Keith found himself growing more and more irritated. He was standing in the ballroom – in a white tie, now – and waiting for the arrival of his fiancé whilst trying not to scowl outright.

It wasn’t Prince Takashi that had set off his annoyance. On the contrary. It was the fact that Keith hadn’t even had the chance to speak to him _at all_.

Not a single word exchanged.

They had been formally introduced during the welcoming ceremony in the great hall, but since then, there was always someone else talking or something that required their attention. They had been sitting across each other during luncheon, but people had been bombarding them with questions and comments, and having an actual conversation with Takashi was quickly proving to be impossible.

Keith had always given people just the minimum amount of his attention and politeness that would keep himself from getting scolded for being a rude brat. Prince Takashi, on the other hand, seemed to be genuinely interested in what people were telling him. He listened, and nodded along, and didn’t try to cut anyone off or hurry them along.

Not being able to talk to him was driving Keith crazy, but at least he had had this opportunity to observe what kind of a man his soon-to-be-husband was.

There were still zero hints of the arrogant alpha Keith had braced himself for.

Still, Keith was eagerly waiting for the chance to claim a dance from his intended – sometimes these old-fashioned traditions were a good thing – and get to have a conversation with the prince. Then he could decide for good whether or not he should be loathing the idea of his impending marriage. But now, in addition to the dread and determination that had driven him earlier, there was something else, too. Something that a few hours of exchanging small smiles and curious glances had put there. It felt… nice.

_It could be just for show_ , Keith reminded himself, fighting a scowl again. He couldn’t allow himself to get distracted. For all he knew, Prince Takashi could just be really good at pretending to be the golden boy, and turn out to be a nightmare in private. This was an arranged deal. They were forced into this. Keith needed to focus and be one step ahead. For his country.

All the other guests had arrived before their esteemed Kerberosian ones, and the room was already bustling with activity. Once the big doors at the southern wall opened, however, a hush fell upon the room. Keith was to the side of them, standing with his mother and two guards and ready to welcome their guests once again. Once that was done he could finally whisk Prince Takashi away.

Prince Takashi, who looked so stunning in a white tie that it should be illegal. _Who even wears white ties anymore?_ Keith had grumbled at his mother, back when the event had been in its planning stage. Well, thank the stars his words had fallen on deaf ears. He’d gladly spend a stifling evening in tails to be blessed with this sight.

The prince’s white hair was slicked back, and Keith stared at the glorious entirety of him for a moment too long before remembering that they were supposed to shake hands, and, okay, he definitely looked like an idiot now. But instead of conveying that in his expression, Takashi simply gave him those gentle eyes paired up with the charming smile again. God damn it.

Prince Takashi was still wearing the gloves. Keith couldn’t wait for the moment he was comfortable enough to toss them.

As Keith shook his fiancé’s hand, he could _feel_ the knowing smile his mother directed at him, but he was too determined to keep Takashi to himself now to pay it any mind. He put his hand on the alpha’s bicep – knees going a little weak when he realized the sheer width of it – and gently steered him forward, away from all the prying eyes, and throwing subtle murder glances at everyone as he went.

Their handshake had been warm and firm, but fleeting. This contact, his hand on Takashi’s arm, made Keith feel like his palms were about to be very embarrassingly sweaty soon. It was bold of him, too; he was touching a prince unprompted, even if he was one, too. But if he really was going to marry this man, well, it was only fair to let him know right away what he had been signed up for.

“Let’s get something to drink,” and Keith couldn’t believe those were his first words to his future mate after the _a pleasure to meet you_ in the welcoming ceremony, but it was out of his hands now. It was fortunate his fiancé didn’t seem to mind being dragged along by an omega.

The dancing hadn’t begun yet, so Keith kept up the determined energy and continued to avoid people, one hand around the stem of a champagne flute and the other around his fiancé’s (ridiculously thick) arm. The ballroom had a couple of different levels and balconies looking over the dance floor – nothing too complicated, but luckily Keith knew the palace like the back of his hand. As a kid, his favorite thing had always been running around and exploring.

It was only after Keith had led the two of them to a secluded corner in one of the hallways leading to the ballroom that he realized what it all might’ve looked like to Takashi. Shit. He let go of the arm and cleared his throat.

“Sorry. I just wanted to be able to actually have a conversation with you. I didn’t mean to…” he trailed off, feeling his cheeks flush.

Thankfully, Prince Takashi didn’t seem to be overly bothered. He merely chuckled and shook his head with that beautiful smile on his face. “Don’t apologize. It’s been a crazy day, huh?”

It was idle chatter, nothing soul-crushing or especially enlightening, yet Keith found himself smiling again. It was easy to smile at Prince Takashi. He raised his glass a little, prompting Takashi to gently nudge his own one against it in a toast.

“To beginnings,” Takashi said. Keith rolled his eyes, amused.

“Dude, that’s so corny.”

“Ouch. Here I am, trying my best to woo you, and-”

“ _Woo_ me?” Keith was laughing now, in a way he hadn’t felt himself do in a while. “Why do you think there is a need to woo a man you’re going to marry next month anyway, Takashi?”

“Please, call me Shiro. And…” Keith heard Shiro swallow as he paused, his grin turning into a softer smile. “You deserve to be courted. Even if it’s all arranged already.”

Keith’s own grin was gone now, and his cheeks felt hot again. He hadn’t expected Shiro to say something like that so earnestly. It was surprising, and made his stomach flutter, but the reminder of this being part of an _agreement_ made the champagne taste sour.

He felt so confused. From what little he had seen today, he actually _liked_ Shiro. He had been so prepared to hate whoever marched into his home ready to claim him and play king. Instead he got someone gentle, polite and kind. The more he listened to Shiro interact with people, the less Keith believed it was him just pretending. Earlier he had eavesdropped on Shiro talking to his advisor, a man with glasses and grey hair and a beard, and even in that conversation Shiro remained civil – or rather, seemed to be downright fond of the older man.

No, Shiro definitely wasn’t just playing nice. He was actually a good and generous person, and it made Keith’s chest ache. Suddenly being mad about the whole marriage deal became a thousand times harder.

Keith cleared his throat to break the silence that had descended. “So, uh… How’s your dancing?”

He could see Shiro wince a little.

“I wish I could tell you I’m really great, but the truth is…” Shiro stopped at that, a grimace on his face. It made Keith laugh a little again.

“You’re a bad dancer? My, my, prince Takashi.”

Shiro shook his head, chuckling. “Stop it.”

Keith couldn’t stop the shit-eating grin from spreading over his features. He downed the rest of his champagne, and leaned forward into Shiro’s space a little, feeling bold. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll be the lead.”

He had done it to tease Shiro, but suddenly all snarky remarks were forgotten as Keith realized he was close enough to scent Shiro for the first time. He froze. The temptation to take a deep breath was unbelievable, but he was held back by a nagging voice in the back of his head reminding him they had only just met face to face for the first time earlier today. It would be too bold, wouldn’t it?

It seemed Shiro had caught on, no matter how much Keith had hoped he wouldn’t be completely obvious. His fiancé seemed to think for a minute before Keith could hear his voice again, softer than earlier.

“Go ahead, if you want to.”

It had been just under 12 hours since Keith had met his future husband and mate, and now here he was, grasping his forearms for support and leaning even closer to him to bring his nose next to his collar for a smell. It was unbelievable, and he hadn’t even breathed in Shiro’s scent yet. But in that moment, Keith was convinced that if his future mate had been anyone other than this alpha, this wouldn’t have happened. There was something about him and Shiro. They had a connection.

And _oh_ , Shiro’s scent. A lingering hint of aftershave, but beneath that something that was just _him_ , warm and inviting and… exciting.

With that tiny drop of heat in his lower stomach, Keith pulled away. He knew Shiro could see how flushed he was. It was embarrassing, yet not as mortifying as Keith thought it’d be. He wouldn’t be made fun of, not here.

Besides, Shiro seemed to be just as affected. He was looking down at Keith with dark eyes, something hungry in them. Keith wanted to offer his own neck in return, but something told him he’d better not.

No doubt their absence had been noticed in the main room. They were supposed to be the first ones on the dancefloor, and surely all the guests had had plenty of time to stuff themselves with hors d'oeuvres by now. It was all the more reason to pull away entirely and start leading Shiro back into the ballroom, no matter how much disappointment bubbled in Keith’s stomach at having to break the moment.

The big bright room was like a slap to the face after the dark hallway and its quiet; here people were conversing and laughing and so, so numerous. Had they really invited this many people?

Across the room was Queen Krolia, raising an amused eyebrow at her son as they made eye contact. Keith wouldn’t give her the satisfaction just yet, even if he knew he was always an open book for his mother. She could probably tell the exact spot they had stood in and just how their first time talking alone had gone just with that one glance. Mom powers.

Keith nodded at her instead, signaling that they were ready to start the dancing. He looked at Shiro again. The expression on his face was a little timid and he was radiating nervous energy. Was he really that bad at dancing? Keith grabbed his left hand and squeezed a little as the band began to play.

When he grabbed Shiro’s waist with his free hand and pulled him close, the tension slowly melted away.

It turned out Shiro actually _was_ kind of an awful dancer. It was incredibly endearing, even if Keith’s poor toes did have to pay the price for it. It was nice to see Shiro had at least one flaw, though. And it gave Keith the perfect reason to tug him even closer as he led them to the cheerful melody echoing around the ballroom.

In a month, they’d be dancing together again, as a married couple.


	2. Chapter 2

Keith and Shiro had a chance to talk more during the prince’s first visit to Marmora, and boy, was Keith ever glad for it now – mere moments from seeing Shiro at the altar.

Keith had, of course, let his future mate know that he thought the whole arranged marriage thing was bullshit. Shiro had laughed and assured Keith he wasn’t offended, after he had realized his prickliness could’ve insulted Shiro and hastily apologized. Then, in a softer tone, Keith had told Shiro how hard he had worked to overrule the law forcing them to do this, and how difficult it was to accept there was no changing the council’s mind.

Shiro had told him about Kerberos and his older brother and growing up. About how he had kind of been in the shadow of his brother, firstborn, an alpha, the heir. How it had been comfortable to be able to escape the spotlight due to being younger, but how it had also hurt him in many ways.

The three days’ visit had gone by too fast, but in that time Keith had gathered the impression that his future husband was thoroughly a good man. It was a relief. And now, after the month of waiting had flown by, Keith tried to focus on that and not his nerves. There were going to be so many people attending. Not to even mention the media. And people would be watching on TV and on the internet and-

No. He couldn’t freak out, he had to focus. If he’d just think of Shiro, maybe it would be easier. If only they could do this in some run-down little temple in the middle of the woods, away from prying eyes. But no, that was a childish dream. Here, princes got married in the grandest temple in all of Marmora, right in the middle of the capital, whilst cameras were rolling.

Keith was alone in one of the back rooms of the temple now, just waiting for someone to summon him. The morning had been crazy, more people all over him than ever before; dragging him out of bed and bathing him (awkward, but they wouldn’t leave no matter how much Keith had protested), covering him in ridiculous amounts of scented oils and lotions, and then finally stuffing him in his wedding attire.

Keith had met Shiro in a well tailored but completely regular suit, and after the white tie at the ball they’d both been in more casual clothes for the remainder of the prince’s visit. Not casual enough for Keith to be allowed to wear his ripped jeans, but close enough.

Much to Keith’s delight, Shiro had shown up for day two’s breakfast without any gloves.

But for the wedding, Keith was in something a little more unique: a snug three-piece with purple and silver detailing all over it, a cravat adorning his neck instead of a regular tie. The jacket was double-breasted with shimmering silver chains on the front in place of buttons, and the whole ensemble was brought together by a purple cape. It was definitely fancy. But if he had to play along with yet more traditions, it was not that bad when it came to clothing. And the whole getup was stunning, Keith couldn’t deny that; it made him really look like a prince, like someone straight out of a fairy tale book or from the court of a few centuries past.

Keith wondered if Shiro was in something equally as eye-catching. A handsome man like him should be.

As per tradition, Keith and Shiro would see each other for the first time in the front part of the temple, where they would simultaneously walk towards the officiator; Keith arriving from the left, Shiro from the right. They’d be face to face again after a month, and the thought made Keith smile.

He’d have to keep his reaction in check when actually seeing Shiro, though. He was known to be rather stoic in front of the media; Keith hated the thought of sharing his emotions with a crowd. They belonged to him, no one else had any right to them. Even doubly so now that it had to do with Shiro.

A knock on the door made him jump. The nerves were tickling his throat again, but he was relieved to see that the person who opened the door was not another servant, but his mother.

“It’s time,” she said, her voice soothing Keith a little.

With a warm hand on his back, she led Keith to the double doors he would use to make his own entrance in just a few minutes. They didn’t have to talk. Krolia knew her son was nervous; could smell the slight distress on him. And Keith felt comforted by her presence and touch, knowing his mother would always be there for him.

As much as Krolia loved Marmora, she loved Keith a thousand times more.

A tight hug and a kiss to his head and Keith was alone again, waiting for his signal. He didn’t have to be alone with his thoughts for long – soon the officiator’s booming voice was echoing around the building and the doors in front of Keith were opened from the other side.

And then he could see Shiro, just a few paces away from him.

Shiro’s facial expression was one Keith hadn’t seen during the visit a month ago – it was surprise, and maybe awe, and something more Keith couldn’t recognize. And he _was_ dressed in something special, too: the front of his form-fitting white jacket was shimmering with golden embroidery, in perfect harmony with the few medals decorating it. He had a blue cape on as well, the embroidery continuing on it. The gloves were present again, but this time Keith had some on, too – maybe they could both get rid of them later. All in all, the man in front of him was definitely straight out of a fairy tale, tall and handsome and almost _glowing_. Keith swallowed. No gaping.

They didn’t take their eyes off each other as they both started walking forward. Keith was holding his breath. The presence of the crowd in the temple and all the spectators in the comfort of their own homes was quickly forgotten as he looked into Shiro’s eyes again. And then they were only a step away from each other, in front of the officiator that had resumed talking. Keith wanted to grab Shiro’s hand, but they weren’t that far into the ceremony yet.

He tuned it all out. As much as Keith had tried and managed to school his expression into something neutral during the few steps he had taken towards Shiro, it was impossible to keep a small smile off his face now. Shiro was smiling more openly, looking at Keith just as intensely as Keith was looking at him. Keith knew then that no matter how busy the day was going to be, they’d be alright if they stuck together.

When they were ordered to take hold of each others’ hands, Shiro gave his a small squeeze. It shouldn’t have had such a strong effect, but it made Keith’s heart beat like crazy. Gods, this man. Just over a month ago, Keith had been prepared to be angry, to be bitter and fake a smile for the TV cameras – and now he was trying not to seem like a schoolboy with a crush in front of all these people.

Fuck traditions and fuck stupid old laws and fuck arranged marriages, but thank the stars the world gave him Shiro.

As the end of the ceremony neared, Keith squeezed Shiro’s hands in return. Both of them repeated the words they were told to repeat, but never took their eyes off each other. Keith’s voice did not waver, despite the fact that he felt like his heart was trying to escape his chest.

Then they were officially pronounced husbands, and there was only one thing to do.

Their first kiss was soft, a tender press of the lips and not much more. Keith could catch Shiro’s scent again, and he decided he was never going to get enough of it. Shiro’s lips were soft and he held Keith like he was made out of glass or porcelain, something precious and fragile, and it would have been annoying if it wasn’t so sweet. When the kiss ended, Keith almost wanted to lean forward for another one, but that wasn’t proper. Their second kiss would have to wait until later.

The wedding party hadn’t even begun yet, and already Keith was wishing it would go past quickly.

 

\---

 

Way too many hours of attention and congratulations and food and drink and more attention later, they were finally alone. _Actually_ alone, with nowhere to be, for the first time ever. The silence of their lavish hotel room was deafening after the whirlwind of a day and there was a new nagging voice inside Keith, insecure and persistent. Shiro was actually great and they had gotten along well so far; what if being with just the two of them was a disappointment to him?

Not to even mention the fact that, well. It was their wedding night. In Marmora, it was tradition for the newlywed couple to have one last drink before retreating for the night with their new spouse; a drink that induced a heat or a rut. Naturally, Keith and Shiro had refused to partake in something like that, but there were still certain… expectations.

Shiro seemed to catch on to Keith’s train of thought immediately, because of course he did.

“Keith,” he said softly to get his attention. His expression was gentle “Don’t fret. We don’t have to… well.” He cleared his throat.

Shiro’s modesty was endearing. But what if Keith _wanted_ to? He could feel blood rushing to his face at the thought. Shiro was handsome, Keith had thought that from the first time he had seen a picture of him. In addition to that, he was nice, and gentle, and their kiss in the ceremony had felt _good_. They were married now. Wouldn’t it be only natural to sleep together? And, despite no one being in a heat or rut, there were still certain expectations as to what their activities during the night should be. Shiro couldn’t have forgotten that.

“You know they’re expecting to see mating marks on our necks tomorrow,” Keith replied instead of voicing his own desires.

Shiro merely chuckled. “Then let them! You’ve expressed your dislike for all these traditions and expectations already. I’m not crazy about them either. We’ll go at our own pace.”

The words made Keith smile. They fell silent again and he busied himself with finally easing off the top layer of his stifling garments. The cape and gloves he had been able to shed for the wedding party, but the rest of the finely tailored clothing was still on him, albeit not as immaculate as it had been in the morning. Finally, he stood there in just his dress pants and undershirt.

“You know I hated this whole marriage thing from the start. I didn’t want to have to marry any alpha, let alone a complete stranger.” He turned to look Shiro in the eye again. “But I’m glad that it was you.”

He got a soft laugh in reply, the sweetest sound ever. “Well, I’m glad I didn’t turn out to be your worst nightmare.”

Keith chuckled, too. This was good. Easy. He felt like he could actually relax for the first time in weeks. Still, he was rather exhausted. The luxuriously soft hotel bed called him.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he yawned, gathering his things and making his way to the bathroom, acknowledging Shiro’s reply about going when Keith was done with a hum.

The bathroom was as ridiculously luxurious as the rest of the room, and if Keith hadn’t been so sleepy he would’ve loved to enjoy the huge bathtub until he was all wrinkly. Better not, though. It would be a tragedy if the crown prince perished on his wedding night just because he had managed to fall asleep in the tub and drowned.

He was too antsy to spend much time in the shower, just cleaning himself thoroughly after the long day. The water felt nice and relaxing but he couldn’t stop thinking about Shiro now, waiting for his turn on the other side of that door. His husband. A genuinely good man.

Attractive, too. When Keith got out, dried himself and headed to bed, Shiro would stand on this very spot in the shower. Naked. With all his muscles and… oh, shit.

It would be a lie to claim he hadn’t thought about it. About him and Shiro, on their wedding night, consummating their marriage. The image had made its way to Keith’s brain surprisingly soon after their first meeting, despite the arranged union not exactly pleasing him. Over the last month, he had spent a few nights stifling his moans in a pillow as he touched himself to the thought of Shiro.

He couldn’t walk out of the shower with a hard-on, so he quickly banished all of those images from his mind and stepped out, drying himself with a fluffy towel and dressing up in yet another silly tradition; a ceremonial wedding night gown. Ugh. He had thought it was some kind of weird sex thing, but luckily the thing wasn’t as sheer as he feared it’d be; sure, his nipples were kinda visible through the fabric, but at least his dick was covered. The garment reached the floor, almost feeling like a dress, though it opened at the front like a robe. It seemed comfortable enough to sleep in, although much more feminine and delicate than anything Shiro had seen him in. Keith wondered if Shiro would like it.

Back outside the bathroom, Shiro was scrolling through something on his phone, also stripped down to his slacks and shirt. Its buttons were open, offering Keith a good view of his abs. Damn. Sure, he knew Shiro was athletic, but he had had no idea the man looked like _that_. As he looked up from the phone and saw Keith’s attire, his brows shot up. “Oh.”

The reaction made Keith feel self-conscious. Stupid dress-thingy. He huffed a little. “Traditions, am I right?”

“R-Right. I’m just gonna grab a quick shower too.” 

While Shiro was gone, Keith laid out his used clothes on a chair as neatly at possible, not bothering to spend time wondering where else to put them. _Spoiled prince_ , he thought to himself with a scoff. Maybe one was allowed to act a little spoiled on one’s wedding day, though.

There were champagne and chocolates waiting for them on the bed, but Keith had truly had his fill for today, so he carefully set them aside on a table in favor of climbing on the bed. It was huge, and so, so soft. Almost as good as his own bed.

Keith knew he could just slip under the covers now and drift off to sleep. It would maybe be a little rude towards Shiro, but he would definitely forgive him. Now Keith was just wondering how he wanted tonight to play out.

How was he even supposed to bring it up to Shiro? He seemed to be under the impression Keith was opposed to the idea of sleeping together. And honestly, he definitely would have been, had his new husband been anyone other than Shiro.

But it was Shiro. And Shiro was sweet, attractive and… really, really hot.

Shiro emerged a moment later, finding Keith still sitting on the bed, lost in thought.

“Everything alright?” he asked, the picture of a worried alpha. Keith nodded in reply, giving him a small smile. Shiro was now dressed for bed as well and drying his hair with a towel. “I’m gonna take the couch, then?”

“What?” Keith frowned. Couch?

“Oh.” Shiro looked like a deer in headlights. “I thought, I mean, I thought you wouldn’t want to, um. Share the bed.”

Keith gawked. Had he really been that bitchy, to make Shiro think like this? The bed was huge. Even if he didn’t want to be close to Shiro – which he did, thank you very much – they’d both fit on the bed just fine with plenty of space to put between them. Unbelievable. His new husband, _a prince_ , sleeping on a couch. Shiro’s mind was a weird place.

“N-Not necessary, then?”

“No,” Keith huffed. The moment was awkward, but Shiro kept it from dragging on by going back to the bathroom to drop off his towel. The white t-shirt he had paired with his flannel pants was snug on him, showing off his perfectly sculpted pecs. Keith swallowed and busied himself with actually getting between the covers, despite feeling very hot suddenly.

Shiro was turning off the rest of the lights in the room as he made his way to the bed, and Keith.

In movies newlywed couples barely separated from each other as they made their way to their rooms, eager for their wedding night. Someone maybe carried their new spouse over the doorstep, diving back in once both parties were back on the ground. Clothes were thrown off in the rush to make love for the first time as a married couple. And when someone showered, they maybe came back wearing something super special for their love.

This was all very different from that. Nobody had been carried, and there were no wandering hands or hungry kisses. They’d both taken off their own clothes and showered to wash off the stressful day, but it was not in preparation for any physical action. And while Keith was wearing something special, he supposed, it wasn’t really… like that. It wasn’t skimpy and revealing, didn’t show off any supposedly attractive or titillating features of his.

Keith wasn’t disappointed, not really. Movies weren’t real life. But as Shiro got in on the other side of the bed, the room illuminated only by the soft light from his nightstand, Keith suddenly wasn’t feeling so tired anymore. Instead, he felt nervous, excited, heated.

Shiro turned off the light as he climbed in, leaving a decently sized gap between them. Keith knew he had to say something if he wanted things to happen. The darkness of the room provided comfort, making the thought of telling Shiro what he wanted less intimidating, yet he still couldn’t break the silence.

Luckily, Shiro broke it. “Goodnight, Keith.” His tone was forcibly light and hard to decipher. It made Keith wonder what Shiro wanted to do, what he was thinking about. Still, he had to say something now.

“Shiro, wait,” he began, pausing at the curious noise he got in return. “Can I, uh. Come closer?”

“Of course.” Shiro’s tone was soft and it made Keith feel more sure of himself as he shuffled towards the warm body next to him in the dark. Keith could smell Shiro again, the scent of _him_ under the hotel shampoo.

“Shiro,” Keith whispered, hearing Shiro hum in reply. He bit his lower lip, trying to come up with the right words. Straight to the point would probably be best. “Please kiss me?”

He heard Shiro chuckle and the sheets rustle as he turned so they were both on their sides, face to face. Keith’s eyes had adjusted to the dark enough to make out the shape of Shiro as they moved closer, noses touching and breaths tickling each others’ faces. For a moment they basked in the anticipation, and those few seconds felt like an eternity. Then their lips touched again, for the second time ever.

It was so much better than the first time. It was personal, unrushed – just the two of them without thousands of eager spectators. No pressure, only the warmth and heady scent of Shiro taking over all of Keith’s senses.

The kiss was soft and sweet and, just like the first one, ended way too soon. Keith dove for another one right away and was met with lips just as insistent as his own, both eager to get to know the other the way couples did.

It was new for Keith, kissing someone deeply like this, feeling a tongue carefully brush against his own. It coiled in the bottom of his belly and spread all around him, bringing heat down to his groin. He was quickly becoming really aroused and he knew it wouldn’t escape Shiro’s notice.

Just then, Shiro pulled back abruptly, no doubt thinking they’d gone too far. He truly was the most considerate alpha Keith had ever met; no doubt he still thought Keith was opposed to physical contact on their wedding night when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Keith knew he had to make where he stood clear right now. Just like he had communicated his desire for kissing.

“Shiro, I want to have sex.”

He heard Shiro sputter. Perhaps a little bit too bold and clear, then.

“Are you sure?” Shiro asked after taking a deep breath. He didn’t seem opposed to the idea itself, which was a relief. Keith wondered how experienced Shiro himself was. Demanding princes and princesses be virgins when they married was an outdated practice, one that hadn’t been relevant for decades, now, but Keith had never been with anyone, mostly out of not trusting anyone enough. He had never lacked eager takers, though. No doubt Shiro hadn’t either.

But this was about them, and that was the only thing that interested Keith right now. They could discuss their respective histories more later. Shiro was his husband now and even disregarding the outside expectations, Keith wanted to do this. Shiro was gorgeous and smelled so good and would no doubt treat him so, so well.

“I’m sure,” Keith replied. “I’d like to, if you want it too. You smell nice and feel good and we’re married now. I want to do this.” It was difficult to muster up these words, to open himself up in completely new ways, but he wanted Shiro to hear it.

He heard an audible gulp in the darkness. A warm hand came up to stroke his cheek and the simple touch was so soothing.

“I want it, too,” Shiro admitted. “I just don’t want to… you know, rush. Or push.”

Keith smiled and surged forward again, claiming Shiro’s lips for himself now that he knew his feelings were mutual. He felt strong arms wrap him in a hug, holding him close in the darkness like something precious again. The kiss was a heavy one and there was no more need to hold back. It was good. It felt right.

“You should mark me, too,” Keith whispered against Shiro’s lips. He needed to say it before they got too busy, to let Shiro know it wasn’t just some crazy sex talk.

Shiro groaned, squeezing him. “God, Keith.” His lips were claimed in another hungry kiss, and then Shiro continued. “Okay, we’ll do that. I want our mating marks tonight, too.”

Shiro’s words made Keith feel bold enough to push against the body in front of him, enough to position himself on top of Shiro. He got a delightfully startled noise for his troubles but the kisses never stopped – instead, Shiro’s hands moved up to hold his face gently.

Keith knew Shiro could feel the stirring under his ridiculous gown. At least he felt Shiro’s own semi twitch against his thigh as well.

Resisting the urge to rub himself against his new husband grew too difficult; the resulting gasp against his mouth was enough to distract Keith from the embarrassment from acting like a horny teenager. Shiro’s hands were wandering again, running down his sides in exploration and settling on his behind. Keith humped against Shiro again, hiding his face against the chest in front of him. He aligned himself so that their clothed erections slid against each other and the resulting moan from his own mouth was drowned by Shiro’s loud gasp.

For a moment they moved like that; Keith muffling his groans against Shiro’s chest, Shiro bucking up against him and pressing gentle kisses on Keith’s head and everywhere he could reach. Being under the covers was becoming way too stifling and hot – the luxurious comforter was quickly thrown aside and Keith felt the need to put his mouth on Shiro’s again. The soft lips and a hot tongue against his own was quickly becoming a new addiction.

Keith hoped what he lacked in experience he made up for in enthusiasm. He was a little clumsy, perhaps, moving his hips uncontrollably and forgetting to mind his teeth as he got lost in the kisses – but Shiro, amazing and wonderful, was guiding him with hands on his hips and quiet chuckles reminding him to keep breathing through their kisses.

Craving more, Keith broke their kiss and sat upright on top of Shiro. He ran his hands down the body in front of him greedily – Shiro’s muscles were truly ridiculous. Ridiculously sexy. The hard abs almost managed to distract Keith from his goal: getting rid of the shirt covering them – but not quite.

It was thrilling, undressing someone else. Shiro’s shirt ended up on the floor and Keith kept staring at what little he could see in the dark.

“That gown of yours,” Shiro chuckled then. “It’s driving me crazy. I could see your nipples through it. I tried so hard not to think about them in the shower.” With those words, Shiro had sat up as well and put his mouth on Keith’s neck, kissing and sucking while bringing his hands up to Keith’s chest, teasing his nipples through the fabric. Keith whined at all the attention. It was a surprise, but a pleasant one. He had thought the garment more dorky than hot. Yeah, not all traditions were stupid.

The attention on his neck made Keith feel desperate, all sorts of new noises he never knew he could make escaping him and filling the bedroom. It seemed to only spur Shiro on as he teased the skin where the mating mark would be soon. It was maddening.

Then Shiro flipped them so that he was hovering on top of Keith and undid the gown with gentle and steady hands. Once he got his hands on the skin underneath, his touches turned eager and greedy as he moved to peel off the garment. Keith felt like a gift being unwrapped and the thought was delicious, making him shiver.

And then he was naked, the gown rumpled under him. The darkness offered some comfort, and Shiro felt and smelled so safe and calm. The situation wasn’t as scary as Keith had sometimes imagined it would be.

Still, he very much wanted Shiro to be bare as well.

His husband’s bigger hands joined his own as they tugged on his waistband and together they pushed Shiro’s pants off, taking his underwear down along with the flannels. Keith gasped as he felt the heat and hardness of Shiro’s cock against his upper thigh. He was… big. As if Shiro wasn’t already the picture of a perfect, desirable alpha. Keith’s lips were claimed again and he let his hands wander, feel the softness of Shiro’s ass before focusing on his front again, reaching for his heavy cock. Determined, Keith wrapped his fingers around Shiro and gave a tentative stroke, earning a groan in return.

Having a hand around someone else was weird but exciting. The size was so different from his own and it took a few tries to get his grip just right from the unfamiliar angle, but soon Shiro was panting against his neck again in pleasure.

Keith felt a large hand wrap around his own cock and his sighs of pleasure joined the noises Shiro was filling the room with. For a moment they kept going like that, claiming each other’s mouths over and over again, exploring how it felt to pleasure each other for the first time.

The gown he had been wearing was soaked under Keith; he might not have been in heat but he had never been this turned on outside of one in his life, and the wetness between his thighs was proof of that. Shiro hadn’t touched low enough to feel it, but he could definitely smell it. Realizing Shiro wouldn’t bring it up unless Keith expressed his wishes and that he would come soon if they kept going like this, Keith knew. He wanted Shiro inside him, too. He stopped moving his hand.

“Shiro,” he croaked out. The hand on his own cock stilled immediately as well.

“What’s wrong? Everything okay?” There it was again. The concern and protectiveness.

“Everything’s fine,” he rushed to explain. He didn’t want Shiro to stop, prayed this wouldn’t make him stop. “It’s good, this feels so good. But…” he let out a breath, swallowing nervously. “I think I want you inside.”

Keith swore he could hear Shiro gasp at that. Then a gentle kiss was laid on his mouth – chaste, unlike the many previous ones. Once again, Shiro had to ask. “You sure? You said you ‘think’ you want that, it’s alright if you don’t-”

“No, I’m sure. I don’t know why I said it like that, I want you to take me and claim me, Shiro.”

The following noise was like a choked back growl. Shiro was being so careful and considerate, but on his scent Keith could smell he was also very, very pleased. At least on a subconscious level.

The fingers that slipped past Keith’s cock and onto his soaked behind were tentative, gentle and careful. For a moment Shiro just felt around, not penetrating him yet. Keith writhed and let out an actual _whine_.

Shiro chuckled and kissed him on the cheek in return. Keith had to resist the urge to huff in irritation. At least his new husband was having fun.

“You’re so wet,” Shiro groaned.

Now it was Keith’s turn to chuckle. “You’re being corny again.”

“Apologies,” Shiro laughed and finally slipped a thick finger inside, so, so careful. Keith may have never had sex with anyone, but he was plenty familiar with the sensation of being penetrated – he had enough heats behind him to know what it was like to have something inside him. Still, Shiro’s carefulness was adorable, and Keith suspected it was as much for him as it was for Keith.

Besides, being fingered by someone else was a new sensation in itself. It felt good. Keith even moaned a little in delight as he was given another finger; it seemed to spur Shiro on and encourage him to fuck Keith with his fingers properly.

By the third digit Keith’s patience had slowly waned away. There seemed to be no end to the slick running down Shiro’s fingers, the fire inside Keith burned a thousand times hotter than it had when they first started. He had kept his hand on Shiro’s cock and stroked it lazily, mostly just enjoying the fingering and the hungry kisses on his neck. But now it was high time to move on.

“I’m ready,” he croaked out, smiling a little at the sharp intake of breath he heard at that. He let go of Shiro and spread his own legs properly. This was not the _proper_ position for a submitting omega to take while being claimed, but honestly, fuck that.

Luckily Shiro didn’t seem to care one bit either. He had withdrawn his fingers; Keith heard wet noises in the darkness as Shiro spread Keith’s slick on his cock, he guessed. It was equal amounts embarrassing and hot, but as Shiro lined himself up, all that was forgotten.

He really was big. It was alright, Keith was wet and eager and mostly relaxed, but the initial breach still made him gasp. Shiro went slow – of course he did – and feeling his cock made Keith groan with delight. He couldn’t help it; he was being filled by a huge alpha and it felt fucking good. It was his husband. Shiro, who was safe and handsome and really, really hot. Keith wrapped his legs around him as Shiro had finally buried himself to the hilt.

Gentle kisses were laid on his face. “You alright?”

Keith nodded with an affirmative noise. “It’s good.”

His response wrenched a pleased groan out of Shiro. Then he started moving. It was slow and careful, just gentle little thrusts. Keith figured he was just getting started, but as Shiro just kept going like that, he felt the need to offer Shiro some guidance on what he _knew_ he could take.

“You can fuck me harder, Shiro. I’ve experienced my fair share of heats – I do have toys, you know.”

His words made Shiro growl right next to his ear, pleased and even more turned on. “Toys, huh? You’ll have to show me sometime.”

Before Keith could reply, Shiro had picked up his pace, fucking Keith properly. It was overwhelming, but in the best way – the darkness of the room made every smell, every touch and movement so much more, and it took Keith a while to realize it wasn’t just Shiro who was grunting and groaning in pleasure. His own wails and pants were nothing like the little whimpers he was used to escaping his mouth when he was behind locked doors, trying to make his heat bearable.

God, his heat. The thought made him cling to Shiro even tighter. He couldn’t wait to spend a heat with his husband; there was no doubt it would be incredible. No toy would ever be good enough after this cock, that was for sure. God, Shiro would _knot him, breed him_ -

Keith was so close already and he almost wanted to tell Shiro to slow down, to make the moment last longer, but there was no way either of them would have the patience. Shiro had been nibbling on his neck the entire time – still not making the mark but giving him smaller bites and kisses and sucks. Fuck, surely this man would drive him crazy.

Keith brought his hands up to Shiro’s hair and tugged, finding his lips again in the dark. And Shiro kissed back and changed the angle of his thrusts a little, and if feeling his new husband’s huge cock rubbing his insides had been enough to drive Keith so close to the edge, the thrusts hitting his prostate were definitely going to make him come without a single touch to his own cock.

Shiro noticed what he had found, of course, and hit the spot again and again relentlessly.

“Oh, fuck!” Keith could barely even recognize his own voice, hoarse from all the whining and panting and groaning, and as Shiro had the nerve to fucking _chuckle_ at him, he opened his eyes in the darkness and squinted up at Shiro. Angrily. Not that Shiro could see much.

“Come on, baby,” Shiro whispered in his ear and whoa, nickname. Keith gasped.

“Shiro-”

“I’m so close, I know you are too-” Shiro cut himself off, another groan escaping him. “Come and I’ll mark you, come for your alpha-”

The words were too much for Keith. As if moving by instinct, he buried his face on Shiro’s neck, right on his scent gland, and came, painting both their stomachs white. Only after a few seconds did he realize that he was very much biting down on Shiro’s neck, had broken the skin. Marking Shiro. It seemed to be the final push for his new mate who buried himself inside Keith one last time, so deep it made Keith gasp, and stilled, spilling inside Keith. So deep. Keith wanted to purr in delight.

There was no knot, but instead of pulling out Shiro nosed at Keith’s scent gland in return.

“Do it,” Keith gasped, still riding out the high of his orgasm. The teeth sinking into his skin hurt, but the whimper he let out was one of pleasure. It felt good to feel the bond establishing itself between them, almost magical. Puzzle pieces fitting together. A warm hand finding him in the darkness, telling him it’d never let him go. Shiro’s warmth in his arms and the knowledge that they would always find each other.

There was no way all this could’ve felt like this with any other alpha.

“God, Keith, I’m so sorry, are you alright-”

Shiro’s words pulled Keith out of his thoughts, his warm big hands on his face. Wiping away tears. When did he start crying? And now Shiro had pulled out and they were on their sides again and Shiro was cradling his face so gently and freaking out because he thought Keith was hurt-

“Shiro,” he croaked, his mate falling silent. “I’m okay, I’m good.”

“You’re crying-”

“I’m happy,” if Keith wasn’t feeling so sluggish, it would have been a snappy retort – instead, his words sounded tired, but sure. He was sleepy now, holding onto his mate, feeling like he could never again live without his warmth and scent and touch. “Shiro, did you feel that too? Almost like-”

“Yeah,” Shiro whispered before Keith could say more. He kissed Keith’s forehead, just a gentle little peck. “I felt it.”

Keith smiled. His arms were around Shiro and he buried his face in the strong chest in front of him. He was so, so tired, but he allowed himself to look forward to the next morning for a while, to waking up in Shiro’s arms. It was crazy how happy the thought makes him. He had only known Shiro for a month.

But that just meant they had the rest of their lives to learn everything about each other and the surrounding world together.

**Author's Note:**

> I guess it's also tradition to skip the condoms on your wedding night ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ never too early to make an heir, amirite
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, kudos and especially _comments_ fuel me ♡ also come say hi on [twitter](https://twitter.com/feiro_)! I'm a dumb babey and like to talk sheith


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